Lysenko sets Olympic record to win hammer

Tatyana Lysenko of Russia set an Olympic record to win a London Games hammer throw final that was marred by a technical problem on Friday night.

Lysenko, the former world-record holder who served a two-year doping ban until 2009, set the games record with her first attempt at 77.56 metres and then improved it with her fifth at 78.18.

Aksana Miankova set the old Games mark of 76.34 at Beijing.

Anita Wlodarczyk of Poland earned the silver at 77.60, but the bronze is still in dispute.

China's Zhang Wenxiu was originally ranked third at 76.34 but Betty Heidler of Germany was later elevated to the bronze position when officials remeasured her fifth throw - which didn't initially register at 77.13 due to technical issues - after the final.

China lodged a protest but it was dismissed by the International Association of Athletics Federations.

"The Chinese team lodged a protest after the end of the competition, considering their athlete had been seriously disadvantaged by not knowing, when she took her last attempt, that she was out of the medal positions," read the IAAF jury statement.

"The Jury of Appeal rejected the Chinese protest.

"Betty Heidler's result was however adjusted by 1 centimetre, as 77.12 was the result initially recorded by the EDM (Electronic Distance Measurement) machine".

However, their appeal failed to convince the appeal jury of the sport's governing body the International Association of Athletics Federations.

"The Chinese team lodged a protest after the end of the competition, considering their athlete had been seriously disadvantaged by not knowing, when she took her last attempt, that she was out of the medal positions," read the IAAF jury statement.

"The Jury of Appeal rejected the Chinese protest.